Sir Mick Jagger or Sir Vivian Richards or perhaps both?

Geoff Thompson

The 18th Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes is scheduled to take place from March 27 - April 2 in the grounds of the 107 year old Chiengmai Gymkhana Club. A total of 31 teams from 11 different countries are lined up to play in this year’s tournament, which has been expanded to a full seven days and promises to be one of the biggest ever.

The 2004 Sixes Cup Winners - the “Yesnowaitsorries” team from England will be back to defend their title at this year’s tournament.

The event also helps promote the development of cricket in Thailand. It will include on an adjacent field competition for the 6th Sixes Sawasdee Cricket Cup for Thai junior school teams. As we go to press, negotiations are well underway to try to bring Sir Vivian Richards to this year’s Sixes. The former West Indies captain was named recently by the world cricketing ‘bible’ Wisden as one of “five greatest cricketers of the 20th century”. An invitation has also been delivered to another knight – Sir Mick Jagger. The Rolling Stones star is a keen cricket supporter and player, and it is hoped he might find time to visit the Sixes. Apart from these two major stars, a number of current and former professionals will, as usual, play with participating teams.

As the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes turns 18 years old this year it is probably the world’s biggest and most popular amateur cricket tournament. With upwards of 300 visitors traveling from overseas to Chiang Mai for the Sixes every year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is pleased to support the event. It is now Chiang Mai’s longest running international sports event, and remains a vibrant and gloriously enjoyable week of sport and socializing. Many of the same club teams and players return year after year to what the tournament director of the past 15 years, Maurice Bromley, calls “first and foremost a friendship event”.

Chiang Mai Sixes is judged each year by participants and spectators alike on the amount of good fun, good friendship and good cricket it generates. It promises a pleasant, relaxed week in the rather idyllic cricket setting of the old Gymkhana Club. Six-a-side cricket is perfect for tournament format (40 minutes per match, fast and exciting to play and watch). Spectators are very much welcomed. Entry is free, there is shaded seating and a friendly all-day bar right on the boundary. So visitors may enjoy a cold beer or soft drink, eat lunch, and enjoy the action. Cricket action runs every day from Sunday March 27 to Saturday April 2 starting at 8.30 a.m. and running through about 14 matches until around 5.30 pm.

The Chiang Mai Mail - 27 February 2005